Date last reviewed:
Monday, Mar 18, 2024
HealthLinkBC
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Information
Pneumococcal conjugate (PCV 13) vaccine
The PCV 13 vaccine is given to infants at 2, 4, and 12 months as the best way to protect against pneumococcal disease. It’s also given to older children and adults with certain medical conditions.
Disease it protects against
The PCV 13 vaccine protects against:
- Infection from 13 types of pneumococcal bacteria.
Pneumococcal infection is caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. This bacteria can cause serious and life-threatening infections, including meningitis, an infection of the lining that covers the brain, septicemia, an infection of the blood, and pneumonia, an infection of the lungs. Learn more about pneumococcal disease.
Fact
Did you know?
Children younger than 2 are among those most at risk for pneumococcal disease.
Who should get the vaccine
| Age | Schedule |
|---|---|
| Infants & young children |
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| School-age children & teens |
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| Adults |
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The PCV 13 vaccine is given at the same time as other childhood immunizations.
How well it works
Protection against serious pneumococcal disease (caused by 13 strains of bacteria) with the PCV 13 vaccine is about 86% to 97% for healthy children under 5 years of age.
When you or your child gets immunized, you help protect others as well. People who are immunized are much less likely to catch a preventable disease and spread it to others.
Fact
Did you know?
Treatment of pneumococcal disease with some antibiotics is not as effective as before because some strains of the disease are now resistant to these drugs. This makes prevention of pneumococcal disease through vaccination even more important.
Safety
Vaccines are very safe. Getting the vaccine is much safer than getting pneumococcal disease.
Vaccine safety is a top priority in Canada. Every vaccine must be shown to be safe and effective before it is approved for use in Canada. After approval, the safety of vaccines is continuously monitored. Learn more about vaccine safety.
Side effects
Many people have no side effects from vaccines. For those that do, they are usually mild and go away on their own within a few days. Serious side effects are very rare.
Side effects of the PCV 13 vaccine can include:
- Soreness, redness and swelling where the vaccine was given.
- Fever, drowsiness, crankiness, loss of appetite, headache, muscle or joint ache, vomiting, diarrhea or a rash.
It is important to stay in the clinic for 15 minutes after getting any vaccine because there is an extremely rare chance of a life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. If anaphylaxis happens, you will be given medicine to treat the symptoms.
Let your immunization provider/clinic or health care provider know if you or your child have any serious or unexpected side effects after immunization.
How to manage side effects
For information on how to manage side effects, view the immunization aftercare sheets below.
Who should not get the vaccine
Speak with your health care provider if you or your child has had a life-threatening reaction to a previous dose of pneumococcal vaccine or to any component of the vaccine.
There is no need to delay getting immunized because of a cold or other mild illness. However, if you have concerns, speak with your health care provider.
Other vaccines that protect against pneumococcal disease
There are other vaccines that protect against pneumococcal disease:
The pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine protects against 23 types of pneumococcal bacteria. This vaccine is recommended and free for adults 65 years and older, residents of any age living in residential care or assisted living facilities, and others at high risk of pneumococcal infection. Learn more about the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine.
Two other pneumococcal conjugate vaccines have recently been approved by Health Canada for infants, children, and adults:
- Prevnar®20 (PNEU-C-20).
- Vaxneuvance® (PNEU-C-15).
These vaccines are not part of BC’s publicly funded (free) vaccine program but can be purchased at some pharmacies and travel clinics. Speak to your health care provider for more information on these vaccines.
Pneumococcal quick facts
- What it is
-
Pneumococcal infection is caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. This bacteria can cause serious and life-threatening infections such as meningitis, an infection of the lining that covers the brain, septicemia, an infection of the blood, and pneumonia, an infection of the lungs.Pneumococcal disease is now rare among children in BC because of routine childhood immunization programs.
- How it spreads
-
Pneumococcal infection is spread from one person to another by coughing, sneezing or close face-to-face contact. It can also be spread through saliva when people share food or drinks. Babies and children can become sick through sharing soothers, bottles or toys used by other children.
- Symptoms
-
Symptoms of pneumonia include:
- Cough - Mucus (sputum) from your lungs may be coughed up. Mucus may be rusty or green or tinged with blood
- Fever
- Fast breathing and fast heart rate
- Chest pain that often feels worse when you cough or breathe in
- Feeling very tired or very weak
Symptoms of pneumococcal meningitis include:- Severe headache
- Fever
- Irritability
- Vomiting
- Neck stiffness
- Risks
-
Permanent complications of meningitis include brain damage and deafness. For every 4 children who get sick with pneumococcal meningitis, 1 may die.
